Thomas cantwell



(No'Model.)

T. CANTWBLL.

FLOORING. No. 584,820. Patented July 28, 1898.

w 'fig-Z. j. LW k ff L ATTORNEYS.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS CANTWELL, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

FLOORING.

srncrrrcArIoN forming peut ef Letters retent Ne. 564,820, dated July 2s, 189e.

Application filed March 24, 1896.

To a/ZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS CANTWELL, of New York city, in the county and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Flooring, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The invention relates to hardewood or inlaid flooring for iireproof and other buildings; and the object of the invention is to provide a new and improved flooring which is simple and durable in construction, readily secured in place, and not liable to warp.

The invention consists principally of a board provided on its side with a rabbet for forming a bottom fiange having a transverse slot, and a clamping-iron adapted to pass, with part of its body, into the slot, and having an arm'extending from the body, said arm being adapted to be bent down over the board flange.

The invention also consists of certain parts and details and combinations of the same, as will be fully described hereinafter, and then pointed out in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure l is a plan view of the improvement. Fig. 2 is a sectional side elevation of the same on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a transverse section of the same on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4e is a sectional perspective view of the improvement, showing the clampingiron applied and before bending its clamping-arms; and Fig. 5 is a similar view of the same with the arms bent in position.

The improved flooring is provided with a series of rails A, arranged parallel one to the other and formed at their lower ends with horizontal flanges A and A2, located alternately on opposite sides of the body of the rail A, as plainly illustrated in the drawings. The flanges A A2 are placed suitable distances apart, as indicated in Fig. 3, and said lflanges rest on a suitable foundation B. The upper end of each rail A is formed with a continuous horizontal flange A3, and the several rails are securely embedded in a layer of cement or other suitable material C, resting Serial No. 584,592. (No model.)

on said foundation B, and left to set and dry, so as to become hard.

On the top surface of the layer of cement is placed a thin coating D of tar or like binding substance, preferably applied in a hot state, and on the coating D are placed the boards E E E2, made either plain or inlaid and cut a suitable length. The adjacent sides of the boards are formed with rabbets for producing bottom iianges E2 E3, formed with transverse slots E4 E5 in alinement with the outer edge of the ange A3 of the correspond ing rail A, as indicated in Figs. l and 2.

The two alined slots E4 E5 are adapted to receive the body of a clamping-iron F, formed at its lower edge with a iange F', adapted to pass under the fiange A3 of the adjacent rail A, it being understood that a suitable opening is made under this portion of the rail by a chisel or like tool to permit of inserting the flange F after the cement has-become hard.

The upper e-nd of the body of the clampingiron F is formed with two arms F2 and F3, of which the arm F2 is adapted to be bent upon the top of the flange E2 and theother arm, F3, is adapted to be bent over the iiange E2, but in an opposite direction to that in which the flange F2 extends. (See Fig. l.) Y

In laying the floor the board E, already in place against the board E2,receives the clamping-iron F at the slot E5, with one-half of the body extending beyond the edge of the flange E3 and with the flange F engaging the under side of the flange A3. Now the operator bends the arm F3 downward to fasten the clampingiron and board E' in place, and then the board E is placed adjacent to the board E', and in such a manner as to engage with its slots E4 the projecting bodyportions of the clamping ironsv F. When this has been done, the remaining vertically-disposed arm F2 is bent downward upon the flangeE2 to fasten the board E in place at this side. The next board is then joined in the same manner to the other side of the board E, and the above-described operation is repeated until the floor is conipleted.

Into the groove formed by the two adjacent rabbets I place a covering-strip Gf, preferably cut out at its under side, so as to snugly re- ICO ceive the arms F2 F3, bent down upon the iianges E2 and E3, respectively. The top of the strip G is iiush with the boards E E E2, and this strip is preferably nailed or otherwise fastened to the adjacent boards.

It will be seen that by the arrangement described the several boards are securely fastened in place and are not liable to warp, and no fastening devices whatever are visible on the surface of the flooring.

It will be seen that by the arrangement described the floor-boards are drawn very firm ly down upon their supports, mainly on the rails A, so that the boards are prevented from warping, and longitudinal shifting of the boards is prevented owing to the transverse clamping-irons extending into the adjacent side flanges of the adjoining boards'.

The iianges A A2 are placed suitable distances apart to permit the cement to pass into the space under the web of the rail between` adjacent iianges.

Having thus fully described my invention,

1. A floor, provided with a series of boards each provided on its side with a rabbet for forming a bottom flange having a transverse slot, and a clamping-iron adapted to pass with part of its body into the slot and having an arm extending from the body7 said arm being adapted to be bent down over the board flange, substantially as shown and described.

2. A flooring, provided with a clampingiron having a body formed with a iiange extending approximately at right angles from the lower end of the body, and arms extending from the upper end of the body and adapted to be bent at right angles thereto, substantially as shown and described.

3. A flooring, provided with a clampingiron having a body formed with a flange extending approximately at right angles from the lower end of the body, and arms extending from the upper end of the body and adapted to be bent at right'angles thereto, and in opposite directions, substantially as shown and described.

4. A flooring, comprising rails placed parallel to one another and formed at their upper and lower ends with flan ges, floor-boards supported on said rails and extending at right y angles thereto, each board being formed on its sides with rabbets for forming bottom flanges, each flange having a transverse slot, and a clamping-iron formed at its lower end with a flange adapted to engage the rail-flange,

angles thereto, each board being formed on its sides with rabbets for forming bottom flanges, each flange having a transverse slot, and a clamping-iron formed at its lower end with a flange adapted to engage the rail-flan ge, said clamping-iron being adapted to pass with its body into alined slots of the adjacent bottom flanges, the clamping-iron being formed with arms adapted to be bent upon the top of said bottom Bauges, with the arms standing in Vopposite directions, substantially as shown and described.

6. A flooring, comprising rails placed parallel to one another and formed at their upper and lower ends with flanges, floor-boards supported on said rails and extending at right angles thereto, each board being formed on its sides with rabbets for forming bottom flanges, each flange having a transverse slot,

a clamping-iron formed at its lower end With 'j a ilange adapted to engage the rail-fiange, said clamping-iron being adapted to pass with its body into alined slots of the adjacent bottom flanges, the clamping-iron being formed with arms adapted to be bent upon the top of said bottom flanges, and a closing or filling strip fitted into the groove formed by adjacent rabbets, substantially as shown and described.

'7. A flooring, comprising rails placed parallel to one another and formed at their upper and lower ends with flanges, floor-boards supported on said rails and extending at right angles thereto, each board being formed on its sides with rabbets for forming bottom flanges, each flange having a transverse slot, a clamping-iron formedat its lower end with a flange adapted to engage the rail-flange, said clamping-iron being adapted to pass with its body into alined slots of the adjacent bottom flanges, the clamping-iron being formed with arms adapted to be bent upon the top of said bottom flanges, and a closing or filling strip fitted into the groove formed by adjacent rabbets, said strip being formed on its under side with recesses for said arms, substantially as shown and described.

S. A flooring, comprising rails formed at their lower ends with flanges adapted to rest on a suitable foundation,`v the upper end of each rail being formed with a flange, a binding material such as cement for embedding said rails, Hoor-boards supported on said rails, and clamping-irons for holding said iloor-boards in position on the rails, substantially as shown and described.

9. A ooring provided with parallel rails each formed at its lower end with horizontal flanges extending alternately in opposite directions, and resting on a suitable foundation, the adjacent flanges being spaced apart, the upper end of each rail being formed with a continuous flange, and a binding material such as cement for embedding said rails and holding the latter in position, as set forth.

10. A ooring, provided with parallel rails each formed at its lower end with horizontal IIO anges extending alt-ernatelyin opposite difor holding said oor-boards in position on reotions and resting on a suitable foundathe rails, substantially as shown and detion, the upper end of each rail being formed scribed.

with a continuous flange, abnding material, THOMAS CANTWELL. 5 such as cement, for embedding said rails and Witnesses:

holding the latter in position, Hoor-boards THEO. G. HOSTER,

supported on said rails, and Clamping-irons JNO. M. RITTER. 

